Lawmaker's comments roil residents

Staff report

POSTED:December 20, 2013 9:33 a.m.

According to online media reports, Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., is drawing Georgia residents’ ire for suggesting that children who qualify for free lunches at public schools should do janitorial work to help them learn that there’s “no such thing as a free lunch.” “It is sad that trying to have a productive conversation about instilling a strong work ethic in the next generation of Americans so quickly devolves into the tired, old, partisan name calling hysteria,” Kingston’s communication director, Chris Crawford, said.“Having worked from a young age himself, Congressman Kingston understands the value of hard work and the important role it plays in shaping young people.“While liberal media outlets resorted to the politics of division and tried to turn this into rich versus poor, this is about giving all children the benefit of a strong work ethic,” he continued.